The leatherback turtle is the largest of all living sea turtles and the fourth largest modern reptile behind three crocodilians.
The beach of Rantau Abang in Terengganu , Malaysia, had once had the largest nesting population in the world with 10,000 nests per year. However in 2008 only 2 leatherback turtles nested at Rantau Abang and unfortunately the eggs where infertile. The major cause for the decline in the leatherback turtles is the practice of egg collection in Malaysia. While specific nesting beaches have been identified in the region, leatherback populations in the Indian Ocean remain generally unassessed and unevaluated.
Recent estimates of global nesting populations indicate 26,000 to 43,000 nesting females annually, which is a dramatic decline from the 115,000 estimated in 1980. These declining numbers have contributed to conservation efforts to stabilize the leatherback sea turtles and move their species away from the current status of critically endangered.
In support of keeping the sea turtles away from harm, 21st April 2009, WWF Malaysia launched "Egg=Life" campaign which will pledge to
1. support laws that will ban the sale and consumption of all turtle eggs throughout Malaysia
2. support the call for comprehensive and holistic Federal legislation to conserve marine turtles
3. never consume turtle eggs, or trade in turtles or their parts
Anyone can sign up to support the campaign and help our marine turtles at wwf.org.my.
The beach of Rantau Abang in Terengganu , Malaysia, had once had the largest nesting population in the world with 10,000 nests per year. However in 2008 only 2 leatherback turtles nested at Rantau Abang and unfortunately the eggs where infertile. The major cause for the decline in the leatherback turtles is the practice of egg collection in Malaysia. While specific nesting beaches have been identified in the region, leatherback populations in the Indian Ocean remain generally unassessed and unevaluated.
Recent estimates of global nesting populations indicate 26,000 to 43,000 nesting females annually, which is a dramatic decline from the 115,000 estimated in 1980. These declining numbers have contributed to conservation efforts to stabilize the leatherback sea turtles and move their species away from the current status of critically endangered.
In support of keeping the sea turtles away from harm, 21st April 2009, WWF Malaysia launched "Egg=Life" campaign which will pledge to
1. support laws that will ban the sale and consumption of all turtle eggs throughout Malaysia
2. support the call for comprehensive and holistic Federal legislation to conserve marine turtles
3. never consume turtle eggs, or trade in turtles or their parts
Anyone can sign up to support the campaign and help our marine turtles at wwf.org.my.
Each signature in support of WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign will lend weight to efforts aimed at improving turtle protection legislation in Malaysia, and I hope that everyone will log on to wwf.org.my and help save turtles with just one signature.
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